1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copying apparatus capable of changing the original feed order.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, there is no image forming apparatus comprising an original feeder that can separate each one of a plurality of originals placed on an original table with their original surfaces facing up (to be referred to as a "face-up state" hereinafter) or their original surfaces facing down (to be referred to as a "face-down state" hereinafter) either from the uppermost or lowermost original in turn, and that can automatically feed the separated original to an image reading position.
Conventionally, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising an original feeder, which separates each one of a plurality of originals placed on an original table in the face-up state only from the lowermost original in turn and automatically feeds the separated original to the image reading position, or an image forming apparatus comprising an original feeder, which separates each one of a plurality of originals placed on an original table in the face-down state only from the uppermost original in turn and automatically feeds the separated original to the image reading position.
However, in the image forming apparatus comprising the original feeder which separates each one of a plurality of originals placed on the original table in the face-up state only from the lowermost original in turn and automatically feeds the separated original to the image reading position, or the original feeder which separates each one of a plurality of originals placed on the original table in the face-down state only from the uppermost original in turn and automatically feeds the separated original to the image reading position, image formation is started from the last page of a bundle of originals. For this reason, when the image formation mode is a mode for forming images on both surfaces of sheets on the basis of one-side originals, image formation is started after the number of originals is temporarily counted to discriminate if the number of originals is an odd or even number, or after a user inputs data indicating that the number of originals is an odd or even number. Similarly, when the image formation mode is a mode for forming images on a plurality of originals on a single sheet, the number of originals is temporarily counted, or a user inputs the number of originals. Therefore, the efficiency of image formation is considerably impaired, or a user is required to perform cumbersome operations.
On the other hand, when an image forming apparatus has a function of facsimile-transmitting a read image, a function of storing a read image in a file, and a function of transferring an image to an external computer, and comprises an original feeder which separates each one of a plurality of originals placed on an original table in the face-up state only from the lowermost original in turn and automatically feeds the separated original to the image reading position, or an original feeder which separates each one of a plurality of originals placed on an original table in the face-down state only from the uppermost original in turn and automatically feeds the separated original to the image reading position, the original reading operation is started from the last page of the plurality of originals. For this reason, in the case of a facsimile apparatus for transmitting images from the first page or an image file apparatus for storing images from the first page, all the pieces of original information must be temporarily stored in an image memory, and thereafter, the stored information must be processed from the first page, resulting in an increase in cost of the overall apparatus.